A revision of Stephanodaphne Baill. (Thymelaeaceae)

A taxonomic revision of Stephanodaphne Baill. (Thymelaeoideae, Thymelaeaceae) based on morphology is provided. Nine species are recognized, eight endemic to Madagascar and one endemic to Mayotte in the Comoro Island Archipelago. Three previously described species, S. capitata (Leandri) Leandri, S. oblongifolia Leandri and S. pulchra Leandri, are now placed into synonymy under S. geminata Leandri. Three new species are described, S. pedicellata Z.S. Rogers, S. pilosa Z.S. Rogers and S. schatzii Z.S. Rogers. The taxonomic treatment includes a key to species in English and French, full descriptions, exsiccatae; and distribution maps and provisional conservation assessments are provided for all nine species using IUCN (2001) criteria. Five are narrow endemics and qualify as endangered (EN): S. cremostachya Baill., S. cuspidata Leandri, S. humbertii Leandri, S. perrieri Leandri, and S. schatzii. One species, S. pedicellata, known only from the type collection, is provisionally considered critically endangered (CE).